Shoe lacing



Dec. 12, 1939. w, ZAHS 2,182,835

SHOE LAQING ,Filed July 7, 1939 INVENTOR Wflliam 2W 28 W ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 12, 1939 UNITED STATES SHOE William Zapis,

LAOING Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application July '7, 1939, Serial No. 283,167

5 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved lacing for footwear.

The objects of the invention are to provide improved lacing means for application to the usual lacing eyelets for greater convenience in tightening and loosening the lacings and to give a neater and more regular and symmetrical efiect when the lacing is tied.

An additional object of the invention is to provide means whereby the tongue of the shoe serves as an anchoring means for the lacing and is retained in its proper position in relation to the shoe opening, and to the lacing.

With these objects in View, the invention consists in the novel construction of lace and tongue and in the arrangement of parts as hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and particularly pointed out in the-appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportions, and minor details may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective View showing a part of a shoe front with the improved lacing applied loosely thereto in one preferred manner;

Fig. 2 is a similar view but showing only the upper part of the shoe front and illustrating a modified application of the same lacing;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the arrangement of the same lacing in still another form and shown in relation to the eyelets;

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing one end of one of the laces;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing a slightly different form of the same; and

Figs. 6 and 7 show other modifications.

The improved lacing may be applied to footwear provided with the usual front opening and with eyelets l arranged in rows in the usual manner in proximity to the edges ll of the opening.

The lacing for each shoe consists of a lace l2 and of a lace l3 which is preferably somewhat shorter than the lace l2. The lace I2 is formed at one end with a tip l4 and on its opposite end with a closed loop l which may be formed in the manufacture of the lace as shown at Fig. 4, or may be formed by doubling over and stitching a part It as shown at Fig. 5. The lace I3 is similarly formed with a tip I1 and a loop l8, and the tongue I9 of the shoe is provided with a front strap 20 which may be formed by cutting two adjacent and parallel slits 2| in the material of the tongue or in the front ply of the material when the tongue is of multiple construction or is provided with an internal lining or backing 22.

In the arrangement shown at Fig. 1, the tip I l of the lace I3 is passed through the slits 2| and through the second from the topmost eyelet It at one side of the shoe opening, and the tip H is then passed through the loop I8 on the opposite end of the same lace, and is then threaded inwardly through the corresponding eyelet at the opposite side and then passed over and threaded outwardly through the topmost eyelet at the same side as the eyelet first-referred to. The other lace I2 is threaded by means of its tip l4 through the two lowermost eyelets l0, and the tip is then passed through the loop l5 and then through the remaining eyelets in the manner clearly shown at Fig. 1, so that to fasten the shoe it is only necessary to first exert a pull on the lace l2 to tighten the lower strands and by then pulling the lace l3 the upper strands are tightened and the tongue is anchored in an accurately centralized position, and when the ends of the laces are then knotted together the lacing presents a neat and symmetrical appearance.

In the arrangement shown at Fig. 2 the lace I3 is first passed behind the strap 20, then through the adjacent eyelet l0 and through the loop l8 after which a knot 23 is formed in the lace between the loop l8 and the said eyelet l0, so that as the lace is drawn taut a small compact knot is formed and the tongue is attached to the left-hand side (Fig. 2) of the shoe opening. The somewhat diagrammatic illustration at Fig. 3 shows the same arrangement except that the strap 20 of the shoe tongue and the adjacent eyelet III are connected together by means of the lace l3 in a more permanent and secure manner by the double knot formed in the lace at 24.

In the modified form of lace end shown at Fig. 6, a metal eye or loop 25 is secured thereto by doubling over the part 26 and stitching at 27. In the form shown at Fig. 7 the end of a tubular lace may be thickened by folding the end inwardly or by doubling over and this end is then impregnated or coated with size, glue, rubber, or similar material and is then punched or perforated at 28 to form an eye.

Although the drawing and the above specification disclose the best mode in which I have contemplated embodying my invention, I desire to be in no way limited to the details of such disclosure, for in the further practical application of. my invention many changes in form and construction may be made as circumstances require or experience suggests without departing from the spirit of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A lacing means for footwear comprising adjacent rows of eyelets at the edges of the opening, a strap formed upon the tongue of the footwear, a lace engaging said strap and certain of the eyelets, a loop formed at one end of said lace and engaged by the body of the lace to retain the said strap in definitely spaced relation to one of said eyelets, a separate lace engaging the remaining eyelets, and a loop formed on one end ofv the latter lace and penetrated by the said lace to anchor the looped end of such lace.

2. A shoe lacing comprising two lace members, a loop formed on one end of each member, a threading tip formed on the opposite end of each member, one of said lace members being engaged with certain eyelets at the upper extremity of the shoe opening and the other lace member being engaged with the eyelets at the lower part of the said opening and with one eyelet at the upper extremity of said opening, and each lace member being passed through its own looped end to anchor the lace member, and means for connecting the tongue of the shoe with one of said lace members.

3. A shoe lacing means comprising parallel rows of eyelets at the edges of the shoe opening, a tongue behind said opening, a lace for engagement with certain of the eyelets, a loop on the end of said lace for engaging a portion of the lace to anchor the same, and means on the tongue for anchoring the same to said lace in proximity to the said loop.

4. A shoe lacing means comprising adjacent rows of eyelets at the shoe opening, laces engaging said eyelets, loops on the ends of said laces to serve as anchoring means, a tongue behind the said opening, means on the tongue for engaging one of the laces, the said lace being knotted upon itself to retain the tongue in permanently located relation to one of the eyelets.

5. A shoe lacing means comprising adjacent rows of eyelets at the shoe opening, two laces engaging said eyelets, a tip on one end of each lace, an eye formed in the opposite end of each lace, a shoe tongue behind said opening, and means on the tongue front for engaging one of ac laces, each lace being caused to penetrate the eye in its own end for anchoring the lace to the shoe and to the tongue.

WILLIAM ZAPIS. 

